Eurovision: bringing Europe to Lisbon

The presentation of postcards theme is a part of the Eurovision tradition, where all the beauty and exuberance of the various countries are exhibited and transformed into a moment of art, expressed in the eyes of Europe. This year, after Salvador Sobral's victory with the song "Amar dos Dois" last year, Portugal was for the first time in the history of this event able to leap forward from the postcard image that revealed it to the world to become the host of the biggest music event at international level: the Eurovision Song Contest.

This leap, which surprised every one of those involved in the process, led Lisbon to prepare for the grandiose event, through a set of strategies aimed at making the capital a venue that's capable of hosting the endless Eurovision fans who follow the event wherever it goes. The process has been carried out... and the results are now beginning to show through reports that confirm the increase in the number of visitors to the country.

Hosting this event in the heart of Lisbon had a great impact on Portugal's tourism industry, boosting an increase of 37% of the number of foreign tourists coming to the city during the event, which takes place between May 7th and May 13th, 2018. This figure is compared to the number of visitors that came to the city during the same period last year.

Although it is common for the host city of this event to show a growth in tourism, there is a large group of Eurovision fans throughout Europe and even in other continents (Oceania, with Australia being one of the countries in the competition). The figures presented by the growth in the number of tourists in Lisbon is still very positive when compared to the host country back in 2017, Kiev, which only increased by 20% during the time Eurovision Song Contest was held.

According to the revealed data, France is the country that invested most in trips to Portugal during this event, representing 29.2% of the flights booked and the majority of travellers coming from Paris, Marseille and Lyon. Besides these, the Germans also represent a significant share of tourists visiting Portugal (18%), followed almost by the Spaniards (10%).

The growth in the number of flight bookings to Portugal during this huge phenomenon in European music, when considering some origins, to have such significant increases that exceeded the percentage expectations.

This is the case of Brazilian demand, which increased by 292%; the Finnish, which increased by 281%; the Swedish, which increased by 157%; and the Austrians, which increased by 138%. These are all followed by the Spaniards (66%), the Swiss (66%), Luxembourg (66%), Netherlands (40%), Belgium (33%) and Italy (14% ). Overall, among Eurovision member countries and even some that are not part of the event, the registration is for a significant increase in the volume of passengers who chose the exact date the event is taking place in order to visit the city of Lisbon.

This increased demand for the Portuguese capital during the time of Eurovision meant that flights to Portugal experienced an average price increase of around 18%, which is associated with the scarce availability of flights to this city. This price increase was mainly felt by tourists travelling from countries such as Spain, Luxembourg and Austria. In contrast, and still considering the figures for the previous year, it should be noted that only Italy recorded a fall in the number of booked flight tickets to Lisbon, which were on average 10% lower than in the same period in 2017.

These figures, collected and compared by a report from eDreams travel agency online, reveal that the national role as host of one of the most renowned events in Europe has had a very positive impact on national tourism, and especially on Lisbon's tourism.

Considered highly important for the country's economy, this increase in the demand for Portugal as a destination is also an opportunity for the real estate sector. It is an extraordinary way of revealing to foreign investors all the gains they can have by investing in Lisbon, the centre of impeccable infrastructure, which excels in an excellent organisation of events and is, in addition to all this, a cosmopolitan, beautiful, modern, future-oriented city with an excellent value for money.

Aware of the events taking place in the capital, Engel & Völkers continues to present itself as an ideal partner to reveal more about the city to all visitors who want to know the best investment opportunities in Lisbon or just want to find a new home in a country that has thrilled the world.

I agree to the storage and use of my data according to the privacy statement and agree to the processing of my data within the Engel & Völkers Group to answer my contact request or request for information. I can revoke my consent at any time for the future.

We know the true value of your property

Do you know how much your property is currently worth? No matter if you just want to inform yourself about the current market-price, or if you wish to sell your property for the best price: our experienced marketing experts are happy to assist you with a free and non-binding valuation.

I agree to the storage and use of my data according to the privacy statement and agree to the processing of my data within the Engel & Völkers Group to answer my contact request or request for information. I can revoke my consent at any time for the future.